Very few people set out in life to become a burnt out and ineffective teacher, or any of the results that we are shocked and appalled by when they occur. It would be nice to start with "better" people, more resistant to going astray, but they are in short supply, and we will have more success looking at the causes of these problems than the results.
Burnt out and ineffective teachers and students who are not there to learn are both part of a larger problem, the low value placed on education by many people. I see that every day, and it is not confined to any ethnic or economic group. I was raised in a family that placed very high value on education, both for job prospects and for general satisfaction in life, and in later life I was well served in both areas by having an education. How anyone can think otherwise is beyond me.
If we can change this at all, we need to start at a young age, and keep it up through the school years. Learning can not always be fun, because sometimes it is hard, but it can always be satisfying and a source of pride. I think that is more important than any teaching techniques or curriculum changes.
Burnt out and ineffective teachers and students who are not there to learn are both part of a larger problem, the low value placed on education by many people. I see that every day, and it is not confined to any ethnic or economic group. I was raised in a family that placed very high value on education, both for job prospects and for general satisfaction in life, and in later life I was well served in both areas by having an education. How anyone can think otherwise is beyond me.
If we can change this at all, we need to start at a young age, and keep it up through the school years. Learning can not always be fun, because sometimes it is hard, but it can always be satisfying and a source of pride. I think that is more important than any teaching techniques or curriculum changes.